Understanding the Report Card 

Report Cards are a great summary of your child's work over the previous six months.  They contain a wealth of information but are sometimes challenging to understand.  All parents of children enrolled in a Queensland State School receive the same format of report card including the use of a more consistent 5 point-scale.  In Prep, this scale is: Applying, Making Connections, Working With, Exploring, Becoming Aware.  In Years 1 and 2, this scale is: Very High, High, Sound, Developing, Support Required.  In Years 3 to 6, this scale is: A, B, C, D, E. 

On the report card the other areas of interest are the grade for "Effort" and the grade given for "Behaviour" towards the end of the report. As a parent when I read my son's report card, his Effort and Behaviour grades are the first things I look at even before looking at his achievement results.  It tells me a lot about how he is applying himself to his studies and how he is behaving in his own class and specialist classes. The scale on which both Effort and Behaviour are marked reflects a five-point scale:

• Excellent
• Very Good
• Satisfactory 
• Needs Attention 
• Unacceptable

When deciding on a mark for effort a teacher usually considers the behaviours displayed by the students as they engage with each subject.  Some students have a preference for particular subjects and so find it easier to apply themselves to the learning opportunities and tasks provided.  Some children find difficulty with particular types of activities such as working in a group.  Behaviours which promote learning are developed over the years, just as children develop their content knowledge. Learning to listen and follow increasingly complex directions; choosing a positive attitude and staying focused on the job to be done; starting and finishing a task within a set time frame; being organised, being an active participant in discussion and group activities; asking for help or feedback and reflecting on one's work, are all skills which contribute to the "effort" grade a student receives. 

Have a fantastic holiday!

Sarah Abdy